July 09, 2008

It's been 2 years of blogging at FH (on July 14th, 2006)!I can't believe how time flies!! It seems like yesterday that I hesitantly opened Foodie's Hope blog and started posting. It's almost 2 years already! Phew!!

To fellow foodies,
I am grateful for all the good things and friends I have gained through blogging and prefer to ignore few nasty comments and petty behavior of very few. Life is like that, isn't it? Bitter sweet! Got to deal with both to make life sweeter!

Hopefully, I will continue to have your affection in future too. I never had a sister in my personal life but I can't really say that anymore! I do have hundreds of sisters now and have gained few brothers too thru' blogging! :) Please know that I always enjoy visiting all of you even though I blog 3 days and try to blog hop only 3-4 days a week to make some time for myself these days! :)

I say "thank you" to everyone,

who come to my blog to say hello to me every week! I appreciate your time, the effort you make to comment here. I will never take any of your comment for granted, hope you do the same! We are all busy in our own way, still make time to post and interact with other bloggers. To me personally, blogging is always been a two way relationship, encouraging and helping each other regardless of whether you are a brand new blogger or a 2yr old blogger like me!

Silent readers; you are most welcome to browse and try the dishes in my blogs. Do leave the feedbacks and say hello to me once in a while, so I can know you. Thanks to all of you who left feedbacks on the dishes you tried from here and at Aroma. Enjoy! :)

What makes me a bit sad is the fact that few websites are knowingly taking our photos without our permission claiming to be their own without giving us any credit or link and profiting by it too! Please be aware of the copy rights, ask for permission, link and give credits. We foodies/bloggers work too hard to do all these cooking, photographing and posting which are not easy at all. Please don't force us to make all our blogs private, it would be such great loss to many young readers who are still learning if all our blogs are not accessible to everybody easily!

Okay, I don't want to get all "emo"(emotional) as my daughter would say!:D

Few weeks ago, I posted a savory cheesy Gougèreat my Aroma blog. These are similar but sweet with cream filling and Chocolate glazed with coconut topping. I made few sweet mini Éclairs last week specially for this post. Let me give you a yummy dessert before I take your leave. Hope you try!

Éclairs!!

YAY!! I remember eating these from Bangalore Iyengar bakeries stuffed with butter cream! I don't know whether these match that taste exactly but not bad at all, what with all that chocolate Ganache glaze on top, some with coconut and some with just cream, these might taste even better for chocolate lovers! :)

Éclairs are sweet puffs as you can describe them, are made of eggy, buttery pâte à choux pastry, stuffed with cream and dipped in Chocolate Ganache!! Sounds great already, huh? Eggs are a must for this recipe, there are no substitutions. In US, there is a egg substitution available like Egg beaters or Egg replacer but I don't know whether they give the same texture as real eggs since I haven't tried it. I am sorry that pure vegetarians cannot try these because of the eggs but Eggetarians can thoroughly enjoy!

I am sending these Éclairs, lightly flavored with Nutmeg to Aparna of "My diverse kitchen" blog, who is guest hosting "Think Spice..think Nutmeg" event this month. This event is started by Sunita from "Sunita's World" blog. Thanks to this event, we all get to savor different spice infused dishes every month. Glad I could send you one too Aparna. Have fun hosting!:))

Nutmeg/Jaiphal is usually added to sweet dishes and masala pd in India, also to cheese sauces and greens in moderation, too much of Nutmeg will taste bitter in the dishes.

Chocolate Ganache:
1/4 cup Chocolate chips+1 tbsp butter.
Sweet Coconut flakes to sprinkle,
A piping bag or large zip lock bag with 1" hole cut off in the corner of the bag to make bigger Éclairs and 1/2" hole for minis . Parchment paper and rack to cool them.

Now:
1. Heat milk or water and butter in a non-stick pan until it boils, take the pan off the heat when they dissolve,. Add Vanilla, mix. Now add all the flour at once and Nutmeg pd, stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or whisk to mix well.
2. Return to medium heat, keep stirring until it leaves the sides of the pan in a ball. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 mins. Eggs will curdle when added, if the pastry dough is too hot!Turn on the oven to 375F to preheat and add a parchment paper on top of a large cookie sheet, use double layered baking sheet if you manage to have one to prevent burning the bottom of the delicate Éclairs.3. Add the dough to the stand mixer with a flat beater (or in a bowl with a wooden spoon or whisk), turn on low, add 1 egg at a time, mixing very well after each egg until all 4 eggs are used. Beat the mixture on medium speed until it's shiny, glossy, thick and smooth. When you stick a spoon into the dough, it should stand up without falling as in the picture, keep beating until then.
4. Add all the pastry dough to the pasty bag, squeeze out the dough on to the sheet about 1"wide and 4" long, pipe in 2" apart from each other for large ones and 3" long for mini Éclairs until you use up all the pastry.

I can't tell you how many you get exactly, probably about 12 large ones. I made mini Éclairs about 3" long, got about 20! Large Éclairs are better for filling than filling the minis! :)

5. When the oven is hot, put the sheet in and bake for 25-30mins or until they are golden on top. DO NOT overbake them!

DO NOT open oven while they are baking. When done, take the sheet out, put a skewer through the sides of each Éclair to release the air to prevent softening in the center as you can see in the collage, cool on the rack or slice across as halfway, so the inside dries faster without getting soggy inside.

Cream: You can add a pinch or two Nutmeg pd to the whipped cream too if you like, just whip cream with nutmeg and sugar until thick and fluffy.

For chocolate Ganache: Heat chocolate chips and butter in the Microwave for few seconds until they melt, mix well. Whip the cream with sugar until thick or use ready made cream. Keep the coconut handy and Walnuts if you like too.

Minis: You can eat just plain mini Éclairs without any filling or topping, just sprinkled with just plain powdered sugar or mixed with pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon powder!

6. When they are cold, fill the middle with whipped cream, gently dip the top in chocolate to coat or use a spoon to coat. Dip or sprinkle the coconut flakes on top. Variations are up to you.

One more look: Hope you make these at home. Cheesy spicy ones great too. These may not be as perfect as Iyengar Bakery Eclairs but good enough for homemade! Can't believe I forgot to take a close up photo of a single Eclair! :P

Now a savory to with the sweet dessert!

I am sending these Cheese and Garlic Biscuits to Aparna of My diverse kitchen", who is hosting my favorite event of all "Bread Baking day #12", an event started by Zorra at 1x umrühren bitte this month with a theme of "Small Breads". Thanks for Aparna, I had to post these for you before I disappear!!:)

Cheese and Garlic Biscuits: I made these lovely biscuits last week with Cham's (of "Spice-club" blog) yummy recipe. I made few changes in the recipe, so I will give you that version here, enjoy and thank you again Cham, we loved these! :)

To make:
Preheat the oven for 450 F. Add a parchment paper on the baking sheet.

Mix the dry ingredients first and add the margarine and mix well until crumbly. Add in the cheese, mix and add liquid ingredients. It will looks sticky which is okay. Take a large cookie or Ice cream scoop, scoop the dough and drop them on the parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 mins or until puffed and golden. Take them out and cool on the rack.

Enjoy the delicate and delicious eclairs and biscuits!:)

************************************************************************************************I didn't cook too many dishes from other blogs last week to avoid any leftovers while we are gone from home but couldn't stop myself from trying this most popular "No knead Bread" recipe from Jim Lahey in New York Times I had to try last weekend!:D
Followed his recipe to bake this bread mostly except I didn't shape the dough after the first 18hrs of rising, did not use floured towel etc, just popped in the whole dough after the second rising in to my red HOT Le Crueset and after baking covered and uncovered about 85-90 mins, a perfect hard crusted and chewy bread! Thank you Mr. Lahey! :)

"No knead bread":

Inside story; very crusty outside, soft and chewy inside, slightly sour tasting bread, great with soup or with fruit preserves for breakfast!

Look what I couldn't resist making yesterday and taking these to vacation with us!!:DKodubale from A&N' s blog!! Thank you guys for posting this yummy classic Karnataka snack, they were wonderful, easy and different from what I usually make!:)

I will resume cooking from your blogs when I am back home from vacation and will list a HUGE collage in September of course! :D
************************************************************************************************While I am MIA (missing in action), if you are looking for any recipes in this blog or from Aroma, type in the name of the dish in the search button you see on the side bar in both blogs or go to my"Recipe Index"to find them easily. If all the above fails, I will still be moderating the comments here and at Aroma atleast once a day and will be updating the events list on the side bar as they are announced, so you can ask me leaving a comment here to help you to find the recipes as well any time!

Awards: A big hug to each one of my blogger friends who showered me with many many awards last week, I appreciate them all and have listed all of you in my side bar. Thank you!

Enjoy your vacation Asha. All my best wishes and sincerely hoping you would savor every bit of it. Chocolate éclairs were a secret between dad and us kids when mom is not around, we binged éclairs and donuts he he he. Thanks for bringing back memories. Have fun then-A

I have many things to say after reading your post... but all I will say now is that I loved all three items and I'd like to wish you a very happy vacation... no allergies no bites, just pure unadulterated fun. I will miss you for sure. But enjoy every day of your vacation. You sure need it.

Happy anniversary again, Asha! You know you've made a big difference to the blogosphere! Have a great time on your vacation, an easy time with the makeover and post some good pix of yourself when you come back!

sra, thank you my friend. You are always been nice to me, made a diff. in my life surely.Hugs to you. Yeah, LOT of work, not looking forward to it but have to do it! I will see you in Sept, keep in touch!:))

Firstly, congratulations for completing 2 years and wish you many many more..Time really flies ..and you know what its going to be almost a year that we know each other..Isnt that great!!You have shared some priceless thoughts with us and wish you a very happy break.. will wait for you to be back!!The eclairs... I am bowled over by it!! Am making it on Friday!! Pukka!! Just loved it!!

HAPPY BLOG ANNIVERSERY ASHA!!!You sure have come a long way :)...fantastic way to take ur brk..eclairs is something everyone enjoys..love these...never tried making it at home....Those garlic biscuits are a treat as well..will drfinitely try those:)...U know i had lot of the lavash dough left coz i had to add 2 cups xtra.:)..i made a thick pizza with it yesterday using eggplant,zucchini and onions with cheddar cheese...they were absolutely yummy..soft with a perfect crust..both of us enjoyed it very much...Hope u enjoy ur vacation with lots of adventures in the moutains and forest ;)...am sure u will have some funny incidents to share when u come back...Also looking fwd to hearing ur home makeover too..Have fun..hugs!!

its is really a touching Post. we will be missing ya :( . But i am very glad that you choose to do not blog , for life has its own priority to look after some tasks first :) . Glad you will be spending time vacationing and then redecorating your home , that is even fun , isn't it ? Foodies hope is surely a great place for us foodies :D, and it has material enough to cherish us for years to come.... I sometimes wonder how much you cook :) . Now when u will not be here for a long time, i am all tuned to life as it happens to see you more there :) .I will pray that you won't get affected by any allergies or giant mosquitoes :D .Enjoy your time fully and have lots of fun :).

Ashaaa...congrats on the milestone :) And what a post...how long it took you to cover so many points?? :))Hope you will have a great time to relax and unwind....you re right about the sight seeing frenzy.....as the years go by, we ve also realised such things...its time for us to unwind too...see u after your long vacation...take care and have lots of fun....I am taking my eclairs from that :)

Swati, that's true! If I look at my old posts, they look so strange to me!:DHugs to you, enjoy the dessert, see you!:))

Ranji, enjoy the pizza too, sounds good to me! I know, my blog is 2 yrs old, so much fun too.Thanks to all of you!:)Hopefully, vacation will be fun, let's see!:D

Pooja, I will miss you too and your comments. Hugs to you, you are a sweet girl. Enjoy life and have fun. I will be back before you now!:DTrisha has lot of words like that, learning from a teenager!:D

shn, have fun there in NO too girl. I am looking forward to it relax too, but might get bored for us city slickers!:DYeah, took me whole week to write this post, kept on adding enough material to last for 2 mnts!! HeHe! Enjoy,hugs and kisses to you!See you in Fall!:)

Lovely post Asha.. :) I will miss you... Have a fabulous vacation and that chalet sounds fabulous in the moutains.. am sure you'll like the calm and quiet. Shall pray you don't get any allergies and take lots of bug spray.

A BIG congratulations on your 2nd year anniversary - it feel like just a while ago I wished you on the first!

I've been wanting to try the cheese puffs they looked awesome and here you are tempting me with chocolate eclairs.

Thank you so much, Asha, for both entries (look absolutely delicious, especially the chocolate on the eclairs)despite your busy schedule. I really appreciate it.Happy blog birthday too. Welcome to the "terrific twos". Have a wonderful vacation. Looking forward to seeing you back in September.

Foodie's Hope and Aroma have become my go-to online coookbooks :-) Its so amazing but right when I start craving something, I find it on your blog. I was just dreaming of eclairs last week!! You must be a mind-reader :-)

Happy Anniversary, Asha! Enjoy your time off, and good luck if you undertake serious kitchen renovations. While the results are excellent and satisfying, the journey is pure hell. Somehow, I cannot see you *not* cooking for any length of time. : ) Best Wishes! See you in September!

COngrats on the 2-year blogiversary, Ash! Mine's coming up in a few weeks! Lovely post, beautifully spoken about the world of blogging. Have a fab vacation in the mountains. Sounds romantic & nice! :) Good luck with the reno!

Happy second blog anniversary Ashakka..!!Even though I am a late entrant to your blog,I've enjoyed every posts of yours ever since I've visited.I also had a first post to last post reading one day!!Great going..I am amazed at the energy and enthusiasm you show while posting each recipe,travelogues,reading etc.This post is such an example,in simple terms you have covered each topic..just cant say enough about this..I can go on and on..!!The eclairs look delicious,I esp love those flaky coconut ones...yummy!!The cheese-garlic biscuit sounds pretty easy,might try making that one!Meanwhile,have a great great holiday!!Waiting to hear about your vacation and your makeovers!!Have a great time..gonna miss you a lot!!Take care and have loads of fun!!

Congrats on your second anniversary! Wow, that is the real milestone :) I too blog only 2 or 3 days from the beginning, yes, there is lots of priority in our life :) Éclairs, Huh, u cannot do that for me :( I told u in ur courgere comm...I love this from my childhood! Now, i got to do it as soon as possible ur yummy eclairs....Ur koddubele looks perfect, got to show my husb (sure he gonna drool over) :) Got to try ur different version of biscuit ...Enjoy your Vacation with family , sure we re going to miss u !Hugs,Cham :)

Aparna, so glad I could send you these, specially for bread event, my fave! Enjoy, I will check out the round up later.Hugs, see you in the Fall!:))

Smita, enjoy all the recipes. When I made Gougere, I wanted to try Éclairs too, couldn't find the time until now. Glad I could post it. Make large ones, easy to fill, mini is great as finger foods. Have a fun Summer, see you!:)

Haha!! Susan, seems like you have experienced that already,I dreading the mess too. Except on the deck on BBQ gas/grill, don't know where else can I manage to cook for the family, will be hard. May be I will get a hotel room with kitchenette for a month or so!:DSee you in Fall. thanks for everything!:))

Vani, thanks. Happy one year anniversary in advance,time flies!!I remember you were still pregnant when I found you!:)Enjoy, see you in Fall!

EC, thanks. Hopefully I will come up new recipes when I come back and my kitchen will be ready by then.Don't know how long will it take! Keep blogging, see you!:))

Priti, cream buns sounds great. Éclairs in B'lore, I used to eat them a lot without getting fat, no such luck now!;DMiss you too, y'day was fun, wasn't it? I was trying to solve your life puzzle!!Hahaha! Have a fun Summer, will be back before you know it.Hugs!:))

Divya, you are not late.I posted and ran out with Trisha to her University to get her ID and all of you are here already. Thanks for supporting me, will miss you all too. I will update when we start the mess of getting a new kitchen!Cham's biscuits were excellent, kids ate half of them right out of the oven!:D

Cham, thanks for biscuit recipe girl.Easy and tasty. I have a few recipes I make which are bit complicated, these are wonderful! These Kodubales are little diff than the usual, really crunchy, hope you try! See in Fall and I will blog hop 3-4 days a week for sure, helps a lot to relax a bit!:))

Priya, you are welcome to try anything in my blogs anytime. Feedbacks are always encouraging and teaches me something new too. Have fun there, I will see you in Sept!:))

Happy Anniversary Asha! I'll try not to gush too much, but your blog is such a comforting place to visit and I always look forward to your visits on my blog. Your presence means a lot. You will be missed, but have an awesome vacation! See you in September. ; )

HeHe! That's true Sunita. But then we have energetic kids to feed Éclairs, give it to them and run away!;DHope you make them and post.I will miss you too, but will try and enjoy the break although it will be hectic! Enjoy the Summer, see you in the Fall!:))

TC, thanks girl!:))Not looking forward to the mess and inconvenience but my kitchen is 16yrs old, time for change I guess, will update. Enjoy the Summer.

Thank you Anali.You have been great to me since I started blogging. I appreciate it very much. I will miss you but will be back in the Fall galvanized!:)

Sandhya, thank you buddy.I will miss reading all your posts!!:)I am scared of Mosquitoes mainly,will see what happens. See you in Fall, enjoy blogging! Hugs to you!:))

Me too Arundathi. There are so many new bloggers these days, just about to getting to know them and I am sure there will more when I come back!:DWill miss you all, hugs, will see you in few few weeks!:)

Happy @nd Blog Anniversary Asha .. Must say you have done a fab job .. Iam very new to blogging .. N ur Blog has been an inspiration .. Its very well organized .. Keep up the good work .. will miss your posts .. Have a lovely vacation with your family .. Have Fun n See Ya soon .. Enjoi !!! Kodubale tumba chennagide

Wow Asha that is a mamouth post. Firstly congratulations on your coming 2nd Blogiversary. Eclairs with coconut on top look very good as do the garlic and cheese biscuits. I am a big fan of 'no knead bread' sam and beccy used to make it quite often.

All that decorating is going to be hard work, but I'm sure it will be well worth the effort. I would be jumping at chance if I was offered a new kitchen!

Enjoy your break and see you in September~I will be celebrating my own 2yrs of blogging towards the end of Sept.

Mansi, thanks girl.I appreciate your support too, glad I know you!:))Europe huh? Cool, enjoy.Trisha was born in UK. She wants to go back there to see the hospital where she was born and our house where we lived etc but can't find time to haul all 4 of us and fly there, may be in few yrs we could be able to. Enjoy blogging, see you in the Fall!Hugs to you!:))

VP, kodubale alli nodidamele madalebekaaytu!:DI am glad you started blogging and great to know you as well.More the better,I say!:DWhen I started blogging there were very few Kannadiga bloggers, now there are so many, makes me happy! Blog on lady, see you in Sept!:))

Asha! I felt so good reading your post. :) Thanks so much. I've been a regular visitor to your blog and could not but notice your warmth :) exuding through your posts, your comments in others' blogs. You are bindaas, and that is special!

Happy 2 years, and ya, have a super vacation! Also, we are so thrilled that you tried out Kodbale. Jai Karnataka ;) LOL Have fun, you deserve it!

wow! 2 years! Congratulations, and here's to many more years of blogging.:D

The éclairs look so good. I know for sure that this is something I will never make thanks to my laziness.;-)

Have a fun-filled, safe vacation. You know you are going to be missed, Asha. I will miss seeing your comments on my blog. You've been so very supportive since the very beginning. I guess I'll see you in Oct then(going home after 3 loooong years for sis' wedding).

Two years wow!!!!1I still remember your blog and especially the Mysore Kajaya was what inspired me to start blogging :)As Usual amazing dishes I especially loved the Eclairs.Have a wonderful Vacation with your family and Take care.

Congratulations Asha for your big milestone. You have earned every single one of your new sisters. I wish you a wonderful, allergy free holiday... and get that new kitchen woman before he changes his mind!!

Happy Second Blog Anniversary Asha !!The eclairs looks very yummy.Enjoy your vacation and recodecorating but we all will miss you and your recipes. So see in December as I am also taking Blog Break from 15 Aug to Nov. end. You will enjoy ur vacation in Smoky Mountain & I will enjoy my vacation in India :)

happy blog anniversary to you. and have fun with the modelling. when you get into i, you will enjoy it. three years back we moved into a brand new home and went and repainted all teh walls and ceilings, including the garage.

Chris,thanks!:) I need a new kitchen, this one is 16yrs old and looks bad!:DYes, I might say yes. Right now,we are doing 2 bathrooms at the time, it's so messy, I am tired of it all already. But looks good,so I guess I have to endure the clutter for a while. See you in Sept!:)

Hi Sreelu, good that you are readig that book. Go thru' my old posts last month to this month, you will many books.Enjoy! See you then!:))

Nandini, that great to hear from you! Kodubale tastes excellent, thank for those too. You can e mail me anytime, always welcome. It's just that I don't check my mail often enough, will take time to reply!:DI will see you in Sept, keep blogging and more from your ajji and mom so I can make everything!:D

So good to see you Chandrika. You are back and I will gone, always happens that way!:DYeah, that Idli fair was classic, wasn't it? Highlight of FH, hahaha!Thanks, I will enjoy the hols and cook more while I am away!:))

tbc, thanks. You too have a wonderful time in India at your sister's wedding. I will deftly see you in October, you have been a great friend as well. Hugs to you!:))

Neema, you are one of the few bloggers who knew about Kajjaya, which made me very happy ofcourse. Enjoy blogging dear girl, I will see in the Fall!:))

LOL! I will Mallika, I need that new kitchen! Besides I decide what I get, doesn't matter whether he changes his mind or not! HeeHee!I will miss you girl, hugs to you. Enjoy the Summer, see you in few weeks!:))

Trupti, everybody seems to be traveling to India this year! Enjoy. Until December? That's a long holiday but surely lot of fun.See you in December,Safe journey, hugs!:))

Congratulations! It feels like I have known you a lot longer than 2 years. Have a great holiday and enjoy communing with nature :) Will surely miss you, thats a long break Asha. I forget what we used to call these Eclairs back home but that and remember Japanese cakes both used to be my favorites.

The bread looks absolutely fantastic and the kodubales-have to make them sometime this summer.

Bee, we painted the whole house 2 yrs ago too, it was fun choosing colors and all the mess every weekend!:DRight now, we renovating master bathroom and kids' bathroom, halfway there, new paint and fixtures and all. Kitchen is a major undertaking, have to get the pros, will do after we come from vacation! See you in September, will miss you!:))

Richa, ready and armed with bug sprays!:DNever lived in the mountain before, will see if we like it. Gatlinburg is a beautiful city, we will be alright I think as long as we get some decent food and a movie like Batman! HeHe! See you in the Fall, hugs to you too!:))

Me too Indo! Sometimes we just connect, don't we? May be kids and common things we share!:)Somebody said they call it Cream Buns in Chennai, sounds good huh? I will miss you too, but will be cooking from your blog if my kitchen is very messy after we come back.Enjoy blogging and making Kodubales. I will see you in Sept, hugs!:))

Happy Blog Anniversary Asha. Mouth watering eclairs and biscuits. I thought eclairs were really difficuly to make, but your recipe looks quite simple. Have a great time vacationing and Good luck for the home renovation. Thank you very much for the link you sent for slow cookers. That was really helpful. Have fun and enjoy. Will miss your wednesday posts. :-(

Happy 2nd blogversary Ashaji. I really regret for not having known you for such a long time. The eclairs look awesome, though I don't like cooking/baking with eggs, I would LOVE to feast on those delicious eclairs.

Have a wonderful and safe vacation, house renovation. Go with the kitchen, when your husband is willing to do it. Don't miss the chance!

Wishes to Foodie hope on its second anniversary,And the recipes looks awesome..And Asha,u know what last year falls,wee stayed in the same cabin in Pigeon Forge...Little valley mountain resort right?Sure u r going to have fun...Enjoy ur vacation dear

Happy blog anniversary Asha, but seriously I thought you are in the blogworld for a much longer time..Every post of urs makes me think about ur experience and expertise. Even ur blog break post is so wonderful :)..Now, coming to the yummy yummy food, evrything looks good..Love the eclairs and kodubale especially :)..They look really good..Have a wonderful vacation Asha and will see you in Sept :)..

Happy bloganniversary, Ashakka. Awesome anniversary treat. After reading the whole post, I am left speechless. Thanks for being here. As you said, blogging is a two way relation and needless to say you have done both very well - being a role-model blogger and supporting and encouraging budding bloggers. Keep up the good work.

Enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Come back with a bang after the break. Will miss u .

Hey Asha, Wish you a fun-filled holiday ! And a big congrats on your 2nd anniversary. I am a huge admirer of your blog and I hope you continue posting such wonderful recipes! Incase u go private, I want an invitation :)

Happy anniversary....what a lovely treat to part with for ur vacation..loved ur post...I've been getting some nasty comments..too...was succumber by them..but now.am taking it in my stride...cCome back refreshed after a joyous vacation!!!

ashakka..... u going on a long vacation and havent chatted with u much.... anyways i was busy with my intrvws .... will mail u ....the eclairs looks too good akka.... wowy... and every line of the post could have been only only by you... and i admire you for that....

Ashakka Congarts on ur anniversary and i hope u see many of these and such touchng and nice write up. These looks great already bookmarked and will try to do it this weekend as my in laws r comng down. great one.will post in sept so that u can see how it has cm.

2 yrs of wonderful blogging by u ashakka:) feels like i have known u ever. now i have elder sis and can't boss around as i used to before with my sis and bro;)happy, very very happy 2nd blog anniversary and wishing u many more yrs of wonderful blogging. i will surely miss ur 1st comment on my posts:) u enjoy ur hols and renovation. will drop u a line one in while till u resume blogging.

Asha, you are really taking off till Sept??..thats so long away!..will miss you so much....do take care of yourself and enjoy the max!..and come back with loads of pictures..will be checking on your life...for updates!

And a big hug for 2 yrs..I still remember your 1st one and how I felt reading it...well well..life is flying!...and wishes for many more yummy years for FH to come!..

Pavani, thanks. Enjoy Summer and slow cooking. Éclairs are very easy, easier than baking a cake, hope you try!:)

Sailaja, got to cook everyday girl, wish I had a helper like in India! Have fun!:))

Thank you Satish brother! Will put up some photos later! Good luck to you in everything!:))

Will miss you all too Smita, about time we had a vacation, last time was Dec! See you later!:))

Madhu, we will catch up when I am back, no worries!:))Yes, I will get that kitchen, might take a month for them to install one, but will be nice when it's done. Yes, I don't like to use too many eggs either. For these Eggs are a must, once in a while, it's okay!:))

Meera, I am very glad I met you, you are a sweetheart. Take care of yourself and your family, I will be back asap. Keep in touch!:))

Rajani, I will catch up with you when I am back! Thanks and enjoy the Summer!:))

Ramya B, this is in Gatlinburg, Mountain Chalets in the smoky mountains. it's just the other side I guess. We did stay in Pigeon Forge last time we went there but in the town. Looking forward to staying right bang in the middle of the mountain this time!:D

Maya, I myself can't believe it's been 2yrs!:DKodubales are good, hope you try. Miss you and yes, I will come back asap! Hugs!:))

Thanks P, I will be back in Sept unless my kitchen is still under construction!:DWill see you then, enjoy blogging!:)

Thank you so much Jayasree, I appreciate it. I can't understand how some people are so rude to bloggers who work so hard to bring all these to everybody but hopefully we don't bothered by those people! Keep blogging, will see you later!:))

Cheers to you too Jaya. Looking forward to Smokies too, don't know what to expect but I am sure it will fine. Hugs to you!:))

I will Vani and I will miss you too. But got to take a break,kids are getting frustrated sitting at home after school closed!:))Have fun blogging.

HC, I absolutely invite many of you if I go private.I don't want to but my photos are being stolen left and right!:P I will think about it but most probably will not go private!Enjoy blogging!:)

Rachel, just delete them and don't give them any attention. I know it shocks you at first to see the nast comments but just laugh it off and keep blogging. If we all get bothered, that's what they enjoy, don't let them. Enjoy blogging! Hugs to you!:))

Swati, concentrate on the interviews etc, blogging comes later. Of course, you can e mail me anytime whenever you have time, don't worry about it.I will always be there for you! Hugs and enjoy life and love!:))

Hi Kesh! :)No, I will not be gone forever but will be in touch with you girl. Kids are getting very antsy at ome, let's get the vacation over with first. I will see you when I can. Hugs and enjoy blogging!:))

Sushma, Éclairs are easy to make, enjoy your relatives. Yes, I will take a look when you post them and I will be in your blog looking for dishes too! ;DEnjoy, see you in the Fall!

Sia, you better not boss me around girl! ;DYou are a sweet girl, I feel like I know you forever too although it's has been probably just over a year now. I am the first to comment at your's most of the time, sometimes I take time.Always a pleasure to look at your blog. Enjoy and I will be surfing your blog for dishes too while I am gone and also try and create a blog header for this blog too. I WILL MAKE SURE TO SAVE your header too just in case I am being stupid and can't make a header!:DYes, keep in touch when you can. Hugs and enjoy life!:))

Sri, glad you posted all the roti round up, I was waiting for them before I went silent. That was a huge success!:))I will miss you too and will be cooking dishes from your blog when I come back from vacay! Happy blogging, enjoy and take care.See you in few weeks! Hugs to you!:))

I will Sowmya, need that vacay every 6 mnts atleast. Enjoy blogging, see you when I come back!:))

Shalini, its always a pleasure to see your sweet comments here every week and at Aroma too.Thank you so much for that, hugs to you. I will see you asap in Sept.Take care!:))

Love you too Shi, have a fun Summer. I do have lot work at home I have been putting it off for a while now, will catch up with all of those. Keep blogging, I will see you in the Fall, hugs and kisses to you!:))

Ashakka,What can I say? Your blog is soo good! I have not missed reading even a single post of yours. The way you explain and the way you give instructions is really nice. Tumba sulabha vagi adige madabahudu nim recipes nodkondu! Congratulations on your blog anniversary! Hope to see many more delicious recipes from you! Tumba dina aithu nan blog update madi :(.

Hi Asha jiEclairs the name reminds me of a chocklate tofee,I think you might have eaten it while in india.Really a mouth watering post.Happy anniversary and a nice blog break.@deepak-as a Kerala government servantit has become my habit to sleep when ever possible.I will be resigning my present job after two months.

Chickoo, take your time and blog when you are free. I do think of you often!:)Thank you for your support, enjoy the dishes. When I come back, I will think about posting more traditional dishes. I don't know many but I will try! See you when you update or in the Fall!:)

Sig, I am still here busy packing and will moderate and check on blogs once a day just in case somebody need answer for something!:)Thanks, have a great Summer and enjoy.See you in the Fall.Hugs to you!:))

Anjali, so good to see you girl. Enjoy your break, I will too. I will be back in Sept.Trisha starts driving to college on 25th August for the first time on the hwy, I don't think I can sleep or in peace at home,I am so scared just to think about it, will see how that goes and I will start blogging a week after that after I recover! Take care!:))

HeHe! I will be everywhere like white on rice if I like somebody, Dibs!;DYES!! Vasanthnagara and Jayanagara, where we lived before we left India, we were in 9th block. Slurp! I still remember the éclairs, Khara buns and masalpuri in one of those bakeries!HeHe!

I AM very ordinary, simple,non-demanding woman, Kamini. Some think very highly of me which scares me.I am not THAT wise, you know!:DThanks, I will see you when I come back, enjoy until then.

LOL!! Deepak, you are so funny and honest too! I like that! Good luck with your new job or job hunt. You are a great actor, you should pursue that seriously! Éclairs are available in ant Iyengar bakeries, you must have eaten them but with a different name. I will see you later, have a fun weekend brother!:))

Thank you so much Anu, glad to see you here.Enjoy the blogs, I will be back very soon! Hugs!:))

Roma, they are very easy to make and only looks like they are complicated to make. Hope you try the Gougere too, yummy.Just let the batter cool before adding eggs, that's all. Enjoy, see you in the Fall!:)

Happy Blog Anniversary Asha..Good job. I for one have enjoyed coming here and loved the warmth you exude here. I am on vacation from today and taking a Meditarraen holiday (jordan,isr. and lebanon) for two weeks). Take care and safe vacation. Angela

ASha, I'm totally speechless...loved this post!!! :)) The Eclairs look absolutely delish, glad u mentioned how many this recipe makes as I am going to try it. Two years of blogging, congratulations!!!! :) If only I had found your blog sooner, I would have been cooking for longer too. Have a wonderful break and in eager anticipation of all your future posts. Thanks for being my blog mommy ;)

Asha, heartiest congratulations. You deserve it- you have been pretty consistent with participating in all the blog events and keeping in touch with all the bloggers- enjoy your break and come back with more delicious recipes.

Ashakka, I want to send you my hearty congratulations on completing 2 years of blogging! You are really an inspiration to so many of us. I'm in awe of all the effort you put into your posts. I look forward to more delicious future posts. I hope you have a wonderful and restful vacation!! FYI, the seeds of india site has curry leaf plants if you're interested! :)

Loads and loads of hugs to you too Siri. Good luck for everything you do, see you in the Fall!:)

Hahaha! You have been a great daughter too Nams, keep it up. Always a pleasure to visit you. Hugs, see you in Sept!:))

Thank you Priyanka. So far participating in events worked out, but there are more than 25 now, so I will have to cut down or do one for five events or something! ;DHave fun, see you!:)

Kalai, thanks for telling me about curry leaves.I will have to wait until we come back home, leaving tomorrow. Hope you got your's too, post it, I will check it out and enjoy all the seeds too. Mine are growing very well so far, hope it rains when we are gone atleast once or twice! Enjoy, I will see you then!:)

Congratulations on this wonderful milestone! Looking forward to many more delicious posts after you get back. I have been a regular reader of your blog after stumbling upon it when searching for a recipe for "khara biscuit", Bangalore style - found some interesting recipes with a desi twist here. I must also mention this - kudos on raising such great kids. Being a mom to a 6 and 1-yr old, I can appreciate the care that must have gone into it, along with keeping up with the blogging. Take care and waiting on your next post...

Happy Blog Anniversary wishes dear Asha. Hope you have many more to come. I hope I have not already 'missed' you and that you are gone on vacation. But have a great time and enjoy your break. We will miss you until then :-(

Hi D, thanks so much. It's always good to hear that kind of appreciation from other moms, I do my best!:)Enjoy reading and the dishes too. Personally, best Benne biscuit recipe I have which you can adapt to Khara biscuits is this recipe. Hope you like it. See you in Sept!:))

RC, thank you. We just finished packing and ready to leave tomorrow early in the morning. I also learned that they don't have Internet connection in the log cabin at the Smokies! Bummer!:DI will be back in the Fall, take care RC, hugs to you!:))

Ha, I'm so late here...you may already be up in the mountains enjoying some clean fresh air!! Happy blog-budday!!! Wow, you've had a fantastic two years and I can surely say I've learnt a lot from you !! Thanks friend for patiently answering all my silly doubts and mails, did I say you're a sweetheart! :) Have a lovely break and enjoy yourself!! Hugs!

Hi J, we are just about to leave, waiting for kids to come down!:DThanks for being my friend too. You are always welcome to e mail me, there are no silly questions at all, any doubts you have I will help if I can. I am learning too from you and from others, hugs to you. Have a fun time there, See you in Sept!:))

Thank you Shreya. It's been a pleasure so far, thanks to blog buddies like you. I am honored!:)IWe might start on a new kitchen as soon as we come back, will see if we can get it done before Sept, probably will. Take care, have a great Summer!:)

Enjoy your vacation & have loads of fun. Removing Wall paper a fun job,but time consuming...I did it in my entire house too :-) New kitchen... cool. Go for it Asha, its hard while works going on, but you'll enjoy it once its all done!

wohooo ashakka, u have been working on ur blog header? looks really really good:) i am very impressed...hope u r enjoying ur break. and no need to reply to my comment. just thought of saying hi to u :)

Hi Asha, first of all I wish you great, relaxing, happy vacation time. You are really a hard working woman, I couldn't imagine how you can do such big, beautiful, proffesional work and you are mother too. Your posts are always Perfect!!!You deserved for Relax, lovely, healthy Relax!YOU DID A GREAT JOB!Congratulations for Second Blog Anniversary! May your all dreams come true!

Eclairs were my lovely sweets in my country. In Poland they are very yummy. Here/USA/ I never tasted eclairs. I must try your recipe with Nutmeg, I like this aroma.Thanks for biscuits and no knead bread. Sounds very interesting to me, especially this bread.

Hi Asha,Nice to see your post,, enjoy your vacation and have a great time with your family. I had a great time with my family members, just returned from India, I will start blogging from August. Take care

MT, so good to see you,glad you enjoyed India. Looking forward to your posts in Aug. Although I won't be back until Sept, I will still check it out. We are still at TN but will be back home next week to LOT of work. Enjoy there! :))

COngratulations on the 2nd A. I feel jr now! I have always been hooked to your site and feel wonderful to k now you as a person Asha, with full of hopes. I hope the painting job will not keep u away from blogging!

Thanks for your support Mocha. I understand, sometimes blogging in general gets to you. Blog when you can, I do the same when I come back, life's getting hectic for me. Have a great Summer, see you in the Fall!:))

Thank you Krystyna. I am stealing some time in the morning to sneak in my blogs before we start our "adventure" everyday here!! Haha!!

Padma, I feel I have been here forever although it's just 2 yrs of blogging! ;DHave fun, I will see you in the Fall. We will be back home this weekend to major home improvement, not looking forward to it but got to do anyway!:))

Hi,Asha,enjoy your break and I am sure right now you are doing so ..congrats on 2 years of blogging ..time just passes so soon ..even I will be completing 2 years of blogging soon.Its justa pleasure knowing you and the lovely yummy recipes you post here in FH and Aroma..Keep up the good work you are doing ..Hugs and smilesjaya

Hi Mahesh. We came home 2 days ago, recovering from vacation now!:DHave a great Summer too. We just started on the first home improv. project today, long way to go. Hope mt new kitchen will be ready by then and I can come back in Sept!:))

Great to see you P! Wasn't staying in a real log cabin great? We loved it and hiked and white water rafting etc. it's beautiful there. Wish I could buy a cabin there too. Enjoy the Summer, I will see you in the Fall!:))

A Very second anniversary for your blog Ashaji. Recently I couldn't comment much here but just want to let you know that you have inspired me to try new dishes...have a great vacation and do post some pics of the new look of your house.

Hi Abha, great to see you. Thanks, I enjoyed 2 yrs of blogging!:))I will post pics later. We just started with the bathroom, long way to go. Hope I can come back blogging in Sept, so much work to do. Take care over there, see you!:))

Asha,A special congrats to you and your blog. You have taken blogging to the next level and have created such a wonderful site with a passionate following.Congrats and enjoy your break! See you in September!Kristen

Happy second anniversary Asha :) Sorry for not frequenting as often as before. I am back in India for good for the time being and not able to blog much nor blog hop. Thanks for always checking on me when i post. Hope you have a great summer break. Love the eclair and bread pics.

The eclairs are very cute and congrats on two years completion. Love to read your write up always which is stright from the heart. Never hesitate to speak from inside. Nice to know that you had a great vacation. Love to kids. Take care. Viji

Thank you Kristen.It wouldn't be fun without blog friends like you, I really do enjoy blogging on a personal level than anything else. Take care,see you in the Fall!:))

Pravs, you are in India? Have a great time there girl, don't worry about commenting and all that if it's difficult.I didn't have WIFI connection in the Smokies but I got used to it after sometime.Is it a permanent move back to India? Keep in touch when you can, see you later. Hugs!:))

Thanks Viji. Summer vacation is over, now back to "normal" life and loads of work!:DTake care, I will see you when I can! Kids school starts again in 25 days, Summer is going out so fast this year!:))

Hi Asha .... happy 2nd Bloggie bIRTHDAY ! its nice to take a break sometimes, i hope you do have a blast with whatever you are doing, we will miss you, and cant wait for you to get back with your new fresh ideas. God Bless !

Thank you Katie girl, that was nice of you, appreciate it!:))We came back from vacation last week and now back to reality and to loads of work too. It's satisfying to see the see the rooms come alive, so we are happy to be doing all the remodeling. Hope we will done by Sept so I can blog again, will see. Take care until then, I will see you in the Fall. Hugs!:))

Happy Blog B'day Asha!!Like u mentioned i'm one of the silent readers of ur blog. Not that I dont like to tell u how good i feel after reading ur blogs and tryin the recipes. In fact, since i started food blogging a couple of weeks back, i feel i have begun to know all of u food bloggers personally. I can actually relate names to blog names.But i still haven't courage enough to start my own blog. i'm still a novice cook, in trying out new dishes. Hope soon i'll be able to join u guys with my own blog. Till then, i'll keep visiting all of u and trying all the wonderful recipes u post. GREAT JOB !!! have a gr8 holiday!!

Hi....hope ur remodelling work is going on in full speed..Another award for u at http://simpleindianfood.blogspot.com/2008/08/dal-palak-paratha.html...I just couldnt stop myself from passing this to you

Thanks Sheila, I appreciate your comment. Do start posting. Blogging is fun, not just for sharing what we know,also to know others as well.But it can be addictive sometimes! That's why I take frequent breaks now!:DEnjoy and I will see you in the Fall. Hopefully, I can come back soon, still got lot of work to do!:))

Hi EC, I will be there girl, thanks for thinking of me. Hope you had a good weekend! We were working on the second bathroom for a whole day Saturday!:))

Hi Sally, how are you? Happy 22nd to you both, enjoy. Yes, we have been married for 21 yrs now, 22 on Dec 7th, 2008!:)We have taken up bog home improvements projects this Summer,so slogging at it right now.See you in Sept, keep blogging whenever you can, no problem!:)

Hi Keshi Pearl, good to see you. I check my blogs in the morning and get off to work some more. They are all coming along beautifully!:))Hugs to you, take care.

Discovered your blog through Aparna's. Had a ton of fun baking your garlic and cheese biscuits. I tried them with a combination of parmesan and cheddar cheeses. They came out really good. Easy to put together as well. Have a good vacation.

Hi Veena, glad you tried the biscuits. It's the easiest recipe ever. Parmesan and Garlic sounds great. Add different herbs too, I made herbs and Olive oil biscuits last week, they were yummy. Good to see you here too, see you again in the Fall!:)

Enjoy your break dear....u know u have gone on ur vacation when I was in mine so I did not know that u were on a break and was wondering why Asha is not posting now a days....coz cudnt see u in TOI...then when I come here...lol! anyways missya dear...have Fun! hope u have a new kitchen..it'll b cool!

Hi Sangeeth, good to see you. Yeah, frequent blog breaks are good for us, enjoy blogging. We have taken up big projects this Summer, so it will be quite a wile before I come back!:))

Hello Sri, vacations are over now. School starts on 25th, so we are busy finishing the rooms one by one as quickly as we can. I check the blogs in the morning quickly for comments etc and start the work. I will be not be back for few months from now! Take care and keep blogging.Hugs to you!:))

Hi girl, chennagiddeeni, adre tumba kelasa maneli!:DWe are neck deep in renovating and also getting ready to send kids to school and college in about 2 weeks. I don't think I will be back blogging until January actually, will see if my kitchen will be ready sooner.Take care and keep blogging!:))

Congrats on completing 2 wonderful years of blogging! :) After long I am free today and trying to visit all my favourite blogs! Eclairs is very tempting and I am sure Laks will try it soon! These days I am busy trying to cope up with laks new recipes! My son thinks Laks prepares best dishes and this has given me a complex! :D

Congrats on Completing 2 great years of blogging! :) This is the second time I am trying to post a comment! Dont know what went wrong! Eclairs is great and very yummy! Planning a detailed Email to you, will send soon! :) HUGS!! HUGS!! HUGS!!

Dibs, kelasa maadalebeku dina, illandre thingalagutte mugisokke!:DI don't think I can come back this month, will see when I can.Kids are ready to go to school too. Keep blogging,I will visit now and then!:))

Latha, L has surpassing me too in baking!!:DGood for her, she has developed an interest in baking, it's enjoyable. Looking for ward to your mail, I am not checking my mails as often as I like to, but will catch up eventually! Hugs to you too!:))

Anon, it's quite okay not to like. I can't please everybody anyway but glad atleast you visited and left a comment!;DTake care,have a great weekend.

True! It is fun planning, searching on the internet for designs and getting it done as we want it Suma. Lot of work involved though, might take long time for me to come back blogging but it's "once in a 15yrs" renovating plans,so I will take my time!:DI will post some photos later!:))

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